Priorities
by Ceramic Quill
Summary: A simple game turns sour. Young Loki and Thor.


"THOR! I hate this game, I can't ever catch you. This game is not fair." Loki complained as the group of young boys ran around a youthful Thor, protecting him from being caught by Loki in their games in the Asgardian gardens. "Why can't I ever be the good guy, everyone else has played him at least twice."

"You can't play the hero. I always play as the hero! I'm the older brother, so that makes me decide what the rules are. Plus you don't really look like a hero."

"I have magic, remember? I can make myself look like a hero." Loki reasoned.

"Heroes are strong, they don't need to cheat by using magic." One of the other boys scolded.

"But I'm not cheating. I just can't catch up to any of you. Maybe we can play another game." _It's just balancing the game system. I'm not doing anything wrong,_ thought Loki.

"Then maybe you shouldn't play with us. Go play with the girls. We don't want to play another game."

"But I don't want to. I want to play with you! I just don't want to be the bad guy all the time! Stop being so selfish."

"Fine, you big baby. You can be the good guy." The other boys rolled their eyes at Thor.

When they began their game again, none of the other children helped to protect Loki from being caught.

Thor tackled Loki quickly. Where he began to push him back down each time he tried to stand back up, the other kids began to do likewise in a vicious circle. Loki curled into a ball and stayed in that position until the kids got bored of the act. Loki wiped away at his bleeding nose, "Why did you do that for?" He looked at the group of boys around Thor, "Why didn't you protect me?"

"Because you wanted to be the good guy, but I caught you. And none of them wanted to be on your side. You can't play a game you weren't cut-out for." Thor explained.

"You are all jerks."

"Go cry to mom, big baby." The other boys giggled. "Go on start crying. We all know you want to."

Loki began to pick himself up and tried to hold onto the tears that he knew were coming. "I'm not going to cry!" But the tears happened anyways. Thor offered a hand to help him up. "GET AWAY! I don't need your pity." He walked away from the group of boys toward the Great Hall, wiping at his eyes and nose. He heard them begin to play again, but another game.

Loki walked into the huge halls of what he called home. Sometimes when he looked up at the ceiling, he imagined himself as a giant, crushing everything and anything because he can. But he liked these halls. His father will sit on the throne and look proudly at him, and none of the other kids could make fun of him when he was up there, nobody would ever dare make fun of the all-father. One day maybe that could be him, a fearless leader without having to worry about people making fun of him. _Except I'd have both eyes open all the time, so I can squint condescendingly at people when they annoy me,_ he giggled to himself.

_I wish I was popular like Thor, then people will always have to like me. People like popular people. The more popular you are, the more friends you have. The more friends you have, the happier you are allowed to be. _

Loki changed himself to appear like that of Thor. He looked at his hands, they were studier than his, and they could easily beat up a bully. _Maybe I can scare the girls, and they'd mad and blame Thor._ The afternoon passed by as he delicately planned his revenge. He snickered, _Thor will be so surprised_.

Someone cleared their throat behind him. Startled, Loki gasped. A guard had noticed his little prank before he even began it!

"Young master Thor," The servant began, "your father wishes your presence in the Solar room."

"Father is home? I thought he would return home next week."

"No young master, he returned this afternoon."

Loki followed the servant and thanked him when he left him by the door. The room was smaller than the Great Hall, the fireplace was lit, glowing onto the dark wood and colorful tapestries on the walls of the room. The All-Father looked menacing, but when he saw who he assumed was Thor by the doorway, he smiled. "Come here, Thor. My, you are looking mightier by the day! You just might be able to defeat my finest warriors if you keep this up for these next years."

"Thank you father."

Odin went down on one knee and held onto an object covered by red velvet. "Come here, while fortifying the alliance with Vanaheim," Odin removed the fabric to show a beautifully sheathed great sword "we received a gift of this blessed sword if the ninth king of Vanaheim, these runes grant it the ability to strike true to its mark, and the blade will never grow dull in battle. This blade is kings-worthy, fit for a future king, it is now yours."

"Thank you father. It is truly beautiful, however heavy it is to carry. Do you wish me to fetch Loki?"

"No. I am tired from my journey, and I will not distract him from his studies."

"Yes, father."

"Run along now, my son."

Loki walked to Thor's room to return the gift to its rightful owner. Loki knew Thor would destroy the antique. He had a way to destroy the indestructible, pity such a beautiful piece of art will die in some unimportant battle. Loki removed the glamour charm of Thor, the jokes he wanted to pull no satisfied him. He dragged himself to his own room and threw himself onto his bed.

Frigga, his mother, chose that moment to walk into the room. "Loki, why aren't you outside with your brother?"

"I don't need to play with Thor all day. I prefer being alone in here than to being with HIM."

"I'm sorry to hear that, but try to get along with him. If this makes you feel any better, your father is home from Vanaheim and found you a book on his travels." Frigga handed Loki the thick book. "He was busy with other important matters, your father apologizes that he couldn't give it to you himself." She added quickly.

"Father apologizing..? Would Thor be considered that important matter? He chooses favorites, I know it."

"Your father does not chose favorites. He loves you both equally."

"He basically told me-"

"Did you impersonate your brother? You should not do such things."

"I didn't think father would call for him! I just wanted to hoax him enough so he'd stop being unpleasant. Anyways, two can play father's game. You are my favorite."

"Loki, your father does not favor your brother over you. Please don't choose favorites either. Your father and I both try hard to make you see this. However, with that said, I am still honored."

Loki peered at his mother skeptically, but smiled after a second, turning to look at the book. "A brief history of the Vanaheim gardens. Joy, at least it is a book I have not read yet." Sarcastically rolling his eyes, but the smile still lingered on his face.

"I know you'd much prefer an adventure or spell book, but we both know that you'll like this anyways. You are far too snarky for a child your age." She teased, tickling him below the jaw. "If you will stay here and read, then goodnight, my love. Don't forget to wash up before bed."

"Ok. Goodnight mother, I love you!" he shouted loudly as she left and closed the door behind her.

* * *

><p>Loki sat on the floor of his cell, not really looking at anything. His brother walked into his line of view, interrupting the current frame of boredom. "Why did you do this, when you had everything you ever wanted?"<p>

Loki smiled at the face, less than from the question. One shouldn't really ask those sort of questions expecting a simple answer. "I could not play the hero. You are always going to be the hero. I did not decide what the rules were. I don't really fit into the hero mold. I am a monster who wields magic, a cheater. It is just balancing of the system."

"You could have made yourself into a hero! I would have helped you if you only had asked! Why were you so selfish?" Thor shouted.

"Why didn't you protect me from myself then, from you!? No, you would have done nothing, you did nothing, I was born to be your enemy, and no one is on my side. I did this because you wanted to strut around and be the good guy, and I caught you, but still lost the game."

"Loki that is not true! You know that is not true! This is not some sort of childish game to be played."

"Is it now? Why don't you go cry to your father, you emasculated idiot? Complain to someone who matters. Go on start crying. You know you want to."

Enraged, Thor stormed out of the dungeon, the conversation he wanted to have went nowhere fast.

Alone in the Great Hall, Thor tried to hold onto the tears that he knew were coming. He really did feel like an idiot, looked like one too. Why had he even thought his brother could change? Forcing himself to suck it up, he walked proudly away. His brother did not matter.


End file.
